Ultra low mileage, Texas Hill Country Cadillac Allante - Soft top AND Hard top

SOMEWHERE IN THE WORLD, there may well be a better looking vehicle than the Cadillac Allante, but I've not seen it. I can recall first seeing the Cadillac Allante in the late 1980's and after test driving one, committed myself to owning one. So, I first bought a new Allante in 1991 and loved driving it but ultimately traded it in on a more sedate company vehicle. When we moved to the Hill Country of Texas several years ago, I set out to find a "perfect" touring car for this very scenic area and specifically began looking for an Allante.
This is a 1990.5 Black on black Cadillac Allante with ultra low mileage and includes both the soft top and the optional ($5,000+ original list price) hard top. I am an individual owner and there is a short list of previous owners, including the original individual who bought it in San Angelo, Texas. The car came up for auction and was bought in 2012 by a dealer in Lubbock, Texas from whom I bought the car in February 2014. Since owning the auto for a bit more than a year, I've put less than 1,000 miles on it.
I am selling this car only because, as it turned out, I've had difficulty giving up the second bay of our garage to the Allante. When I bought the Allante, I immediately jettisoned my second family vehicle to a detached garage which allowed field mice to romp unimpeded throughout the engine compartment. In addition, I've had to constantly wash the second auto to keep it looking halfway decent. The Allante, on the other hand, has sat comfortably within our attached garage, completely covered by a custom "RainX" auto cover (included in the sale price).
Immediately after I bought the vehicle, I took it to a very reputable auto shop (Belden Auto of San Antonio) and requested that they go through the car with an eye toward identifying any mechanical deficiencies. Their initial report is included in the photo section of this listing. They stated that the auto was "very clean." I've had them change out the fluids twice since the original purchase, in addition to completely converting the A/C unit from freon ($1,000+).
This vehicle will be featured in the 2015 Corvette Association Car Show in Boerne, Texas this coming weekend, April 18, 2015 in the "Open Class" grouping. If you have an interest, please plan to stop by and take a look firsthand at this fine example of a Classic Collector Car.
HISTORY OF THE ALLANTE:
For those of you who are not totally familiar of the history of this outstanding touring coupe, the Allante was manufactured by Cadillac from 1986 until 1993 and was designed to compete with the Mercedes SL and the Jaguar XJS. A total of about 21,000 units were built and sold during the seven year production run. The Allante had an unusual production arrangement wherein the Italian design firm Pininfarina built the bodies in Italy and a specially equipped Boeing 747 was used to ship 56 of the bodies at a time back to Cadillac’s Detroit factory where they were mated with a domestically manufactured chassis and a drivetrain assembly.

The body style of the Allante never appreciatively changed over its life cycle.

The pricing of the Allante was set to compete with other luxury vehicles of the time period. In 1989, for example, the list price of an Allante was $57,183 (about $109,000 in 2015 dollars).

Standard Features included on this auto:
10-way Recaro Leather Seats Headlamp Washers Electronically controlled shock absorbers Bosch ABS III 4 wheel disc brakes Bose Symphony Sound System ($900 option on other Cadillacs of the time) Power trunk lid pulldown system Speed-Dependent Damping Control System Front wheel traction control system 4.5 liter HT-4500 V8 engine; 200 hp (7.9 seconds from 0 to 60 mph; top speed 122 mph)

Optional Features included on this auto:
Digital dashboard - $500 Removable aluminum hardtop - $5,000+ The last Cadillac Allante was produced in July 1993. The ’93 Allante came with several new features, some of which were for the purpose of cost reduction. The very first G.M. Northstar dual overhead cam V8 engine was installed in the ’93 model, replacing the 4.5L model regarded as many as being “bullet-proof.” Cost cutting measures included the switchover from the Bose sound system to a Delco sound system and the changeout of the costly German Recaro seats to a less expensive 8 way seat designed by Lear.
(much of the above data from the Wikipedia website)
Miscellaneous Issues:
As with most Cadillac Allantes, there are minor issues. I'll try to list all that I know about, but please do your homework and complete a firsthand inspection, or at least have an independent inspection service do it for you.
The sound system requires maintenance. This Bose system features four speakers, each with its own amplifier. Some component in each speaker has gone to fault and all need to be replaced (rebuilt speakers are available in stock from Rohmer in California). Likewise, the power antenna is disconnected - why have the antenna up when the radio doesn't work properly? The alternative is to replace the entire system with a new system that will allow the owner to bring in satellite radio, iPod, etc. and perhaps a backup camera. I elected not to replace the sound system thinking that the next owner may wish to repair the old system.
The second area relates to the soft top rear window pull-down motor. Even in my original 1991 Allante, this motor failed within the first year of ownership. The motor in this Allante seems to have a short in it, or is somehow compromised. Since I never drive the vehicle with the soft top up, so it really hasn't bothered me. I either have the hard top on, or have the soft top in the down position.
The Cruise Control system seems to engage (LED indicator on) but doesn't seem to work properly.
The dashboard has a couple of small heat cracks on the top.
Small dent in the lefthand corner of the chrome strip across the front of the bumper (shown in photos).
TERMS OF SALE:
Please note that this sale is binding and FINAL. This vehicle is being sold AS-IS, WHERE-IS with NO warranty expressed, written or implied. Any descriptions or representations are for identification purposes only and are not to be construed as a warranty of any type. It is the responsibility of the buyer to have thoroughly inspected the vehicle and to have satisfied himself/herself as to the condition and value and to bid based upon that judgment. I am trying to represent the condition of this vehicle and to disclose any known defects; however, Seller assumes no responsibility for any repairs. Please carefully read the terms & conditions of the sale before bidding. Any inspections are to be completed before the end of sale, not afterward, and are at the sole expense of the buyer. Please, NO EXCEPTIONS. Winning this auction does not entitle you to come inspect the car and decide if you want to buy it, but OBLIGATES you to complete the purchase!
Thanks so much for your bids, good luck. I reserve the right to end this listing at any time, should the vehicle no longer be available for sale.

PAYMENT TERMS:
The successful high bidder will submit a $500.00 NON-REFUNDABLE payment deposit with PAYPAL within 24 hours of the close of the auction to secure the vehicle. Buyer agrees to pay remaining balance due (plus applicable fees and taxes) within 5 days of the close of the auction. All financial transactions must be completed before delivery of the vehicle.

PAYMENT METHODS:

PayPal for deposit only, which is due within 24 hours of the end of the auction, no exceptions. Remaining balance to be paid by certified cashiers check on US bank, money order or bank wire transfer.

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